Upon hearing Leon’s words, Miles’s gaze toward Leon was instantly filled with admiration.
Indeed!
If everything were judged solely by merit, the founding Emperor of the Heron Empire had also received favors from the previous dynasty’s founding monarch.
Would that mean the founding Emperor leading the people to overthrow the previous dynasty’s oppressive rule should also be called an ungrateful wolf, an act of biting the hand that fed them?
The founders of the Empire were indeed worthy of respect.
Viscount Finn’s performance in defending the nation was also worthy of the world’s gratitude.
But if the illustrious achievements of predecessors became a crutch for descendants to act with impunity and defy the law...
Then those past achievements would no longer be a source of glory, but rather a sin that plagued future generations!
As for the Viscountess, she was rendered silent by Leon’s words.
“But... but he is the Viscount’s eldest son. Master Leon, you cannot do this...” she opened her mouth to argue, but ultimately could not find a single valid point.
“Enough!” At that moment, Viscount Finn, who had been silent, let out a low roar.
He raised his hand to silence the Viscountess and then looked at his eldest son.
“Master Leon is right. My merits should not be the reason for a wastrel like him to oppress others in this city.”
Because his old injuries had flared up, he had been unable to manage the city’s affairs for long periods, allowing his eldest son to temporarily take over.
He just hadn't expected that while he was still alive, this rebellious son would call himself 'Viscount Finn' in the city and even go so far as to seize someone else’s manor, provoking the second son of the Prime Minister!
Viscount Finn walked up to Bruno, his face filled with disappointment.
He raised his palm, and Battle Qi suddenly erupted from it, slamming down onto Bruno’s legs.
Crack!
The powerful Battle Qi was like a giant boulder falling from the sky, smashing down with such force that Bruno’s leg bones were instantly shattered, and even the flesh was crushed into pulp.
Bruno let out a blood-curdling scream and soon fainted from the intense pain.
“Guards, put him in chains and parade him through the streets!”
“Yes, sir!”
A Blue Fox warrior stepped forward, took the unconscious Bruno, and led him away.
Seeing her eldest son’s miserable state, the Viscountess was so heartbroken she didn't even dare to look, covering her face as she wept.
“Master Leon, I will have someone compensate you for the losses this wretched son caused in the manor!”
Viscount Finn cupped his fists toward Leon, his face etched with exhaustion and disappointment.
Just before he left with the Blue Fox warriors, Leon suddenly called out to him.
“Viscount Finn, I will be staying in the city for half a day and plan to depart tomorrow at noon.”
“I possess some special healing divine arts. If you are willing to try, you may come to the manor to find me tomorrow morning. I have some confidence in treating your old injuries.”
Viscount Finn’s footsteps faltered.
His old injury was left by a battle with a Gold-rank member of the Blood Tribe.
After ascending to the Gold rank, a transcendent’s internal power increases significantly, enough to suppress common recovery magic and divine arts.
Because he had missed the optimal window for treatment after being wounded, even a Diamond-rank priest would find it difficult to fully heal his injury.
Therefore, Viscount Finn had lived with this old wound for years, long ago giving up hope for a full recovery.
However, thinking of how the youth before him was a once-in-a-century genius of divine arts who had demonstrated extraordinary methods during the priest examination, and considering that he wanted to ease the tension of this conflict...
Ultimately, though he held little expectation in his heart, he still thanked Leon and stated he would certainly visit the next morning.
After Viscount Finn left, Miles, seeing there was no further danger, also bid his farewell and returned to the church where he served.
Old Hunter, seeing the matter resolved, ordered the guards to tidy up the manor and went into the city to temporarily hire a water mage to give the place a thorough cleaning.
Afterward, Leon and his group moved into the manor they had purchased for over a hundred thousand gold coins.
After washing up, Leon lay on the soft, large bed in the manor’s master bedroom, thinking to himself:
“This Viscount Finn is a useful talent...”
When he first recognized Bruno as Viscount Finn’s eldest son, the thought of testing the Viscount had already crossed Leon’s mind.
If Viscount Finn was a useful talent, then in the future, Leon could focus on implementing his decreed policies in Stormveil City as a trial run.
Any problems could then be identified and corrected in a timely manner.
And after the test, Leon was certain that Viscount Finn indeed possessed the talent of a city lord, knowing when to retreat and when to stand firm.
Even when it touched upon his own kin, he could calm down and distinguish right from wrong without being blinded by anger.
Such a person could be used for his purposes.
He just didn't know if the Healing Art with the [Overflowing] trait could heal the injuries on Viscount Finn’s body.
If it could, he could use it to make the Viscount owe him a favor.
A carrot and a stick—the perfect way to win people over.
Although he possessed the [Royal Decree] given by the Sage King, only subordinates who followed him out of genuine loyalty could be utilized effectively...
Knock, knock.
As he was lost in thought, two knocks came from the door.
“It’s... me.”
Alicia’s voice sounded outside.
Leon opened the door to see Alicia, who had just finished washing up, standing there with her hair still damp and messy.
She held several lollipops produced by the Coo Coo Merchant Association in her hand as she walked into Leon’s room.
“What is it?”
Leon looked at the lollipop Alicia handed him and hesitated for a moment. Ultimately, caught between brushing his teeth again or not taking the candy, he chose the former.
Seeing Leon take her lollipop, a faint smile appeared on Alicia’s face, though it quickly vanished.
Alicia stared at Leon, an emotion called 'seriousness' flickering in her eyes as she spoke:
“Leon... Priest... Today... you... did... wrong.”
Did wrong?
Leon was taken aback. He paused for half a second before asking:
“Are you talking about me punishing Bruno? Was the punishment I gave him too severe?”
Leon let out a breath and explained, “Alicia, that Bruno is a wastrel. For a person like that, you must give him a punishment severe enough to remember for a lifetime. Only then will he stop bullying others and seizing their manors...”
“No... not... that,” Alicia shook her head before Leon could finish.
“Bru-no... did... wrong. Leon... Priest... punishment... is... right.”
Leon heard this and asked, “Then what did I do wrong? Where did I make a mistake?”
Alicia gazed at Leon with her emerald-green eyes and said softly:
“Finn... Viscount... is... a... good... person. So.”
“Leon... Priest... you... should... not... look... at... Finn... Viscount... with... the... eyes... for... a... hammer... and... a... nail.”
Eyes for a hammer and a nail?
Leon was somewhat confused, not understanding what kind of description 'hammer' and 'nail' were supposed to be.
Until Leon remembered his past life, after the college entrance exams, when he went to a factory for a summer job.
Thirteen yuan an hour. The factory was built with corrugated iron, and it was sweltering and stuffy inside during the summer.
To save on electricity, the boss refused to turn on the air conditioning for the employees, using the excuse that the weather forecast hadn't reached thirty degrees yet.
Leon could still remember the way that factory owner looked at the summer workers. It wasn't like he was looking at fellow human beings, but rather like he was looking at parts on a machine—like looking at a tool.
“A tool...”
The word surfaced in Leon’s mind, and he fell into a sudden silence.
He thought of the evaluation he had just made of Viscount Finn—
A useful talent confirmed after a test.
“Useful talent” was a compliment on the surface, but... in reality, had he viewed Viscount Finn as an actual person?
Through extreme testing and calculation, he intended to make Viscount Finn work for him...
How was such behavior any different from the Sage King using him as bait without consultation?
Leon subconsciously clenched his fists, suddenly feeling that he had become so strange.
“Leon... Priest.”
A warm palm suddenly rested on Leon’s fist. Leon looked up and met Alicia’s pure eyes.
Alicia mimicked Leon’s previous actions and patted his head, her tone carrying its usual seriousness and warmth:
“You... don’t... be... afraid.”
“Knowing... a... mistake... and... changing... still... makes... a... good... child.”
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